By AIC Research Fellow Andrew Lumsden

On April 8, 2019, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced that the United States would formally designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as a terrorist organization. President Trump argued that the IRGC “actively participates in, finances, and promotes terrorism,” and that by labeling it a terror group, the U.S. would send “a clear message” to Iran that “support for terrorism has serious consequences.”

Trump’s move represents the first time the United States has labeled a part of another country’s government a terror group and it has sparked widely varying reactions from all over the world and intense scholarly speculation as to how the move will impact global politics.

This Media Guide will explain what the IRGC is, what it means to be labeled a terrorist organization by the U.S., how the move has been received in Iran and internationally, and what consequences it is projected to have for both Iran and the United States.  

By Gabriela Billini, AIC Research Fellow

Introduction:

In January 2019, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took the opportunity of a regional trip to announce a new foreign policy strategy regarding Iran. This new strategy is to build a coalition that will actively counter Iranian regional influence and build an overall consensus against Iran. This strategy is to be reinforced in an upcoming conference in Warsaw, Poland, titled the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East.

Below are some key details regarding the new coalition and background on the conference in Warsaw, taking place on February 13th-14th, which is expected to promote this foreign policy

By Research Associate Marykate McNeil

Given the broadening conversation regarding the concept of regime change in Iran, and pursuant to AIC’s mission to further dialogue and understanding between the US and Iran, our media guide series may be a helpful platform on which to elucidate the details and complexities surrounding the concept of regime change in Iran. We hope this guide may help our readers and constituents better understand the issues involved.

By Research Fellow Gabriela Billini

Sanctions are a perennial subject in American political discussion about Iran as the US tries to curtail what it views as Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region. Over the years, many rounds of sanctions have been imposed on Iran, in varying forms.  Some have primarily targeted institutions and individuals related to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, others have either directly or indirectly affected ordinary Iranian citizens.

This Media Guide will present a brief overview of the history of sanctions on Iran and highlight the effects that American and international sanctions have had upon the broader Iranian economy and average Iranians.

By Research Fellow Gabriela Billini

Iran’s government structure can be difficult for foreigners to understand. In part, this is due to the intrinsic complexity of Iran’s system, which some argue is due to the combination of modern institutions (like the Majles and Assembly of Experts) with pre-modern ones (like the Supreme Leader).

While this dual nature of Iranian government has contributed to the confusion, a lack of media coverage in the West is also part of the problem. Western media has a mixed record with coverage of the Iranian government – at times covering the democratic process in Iran (as it did recently in the 2017 Presidential elections), but at others, portraying Iran as a dictatorship run by the Supreme Leader. This is unfortunate since understanding Iran’s government structure and process for decision making is crucial in order to interpret the government’s actions and policy positions. With this guide, we hope to provide some foundational information about each government body, its powers, the democratic forces that underlie its authority, and the extent of religious influence in each branch.